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  Neighboring object information acquisition device, and parking support device using neighboring object information acquisition deviceUSPTO Application #: 20060167633Title: Neighboring object information acquisition device, and parking support device using neighboring object information acquisition device Abstract: A neighboring object information acquisition device comprises a distance measuring unit measuring a quantity equivalent to a distance to a neighboring object in a predetermined direction. A storage unit stores a sequence of points indicating results of the measurement performed multiple times. An object detection unit detects existence of the object based on the sequence of points. An approximation unit outputs an approximation of the sequence of points by applying a curve or a straight line, so that an approximate curve or an approximate straight line is derived. An evaluation unit outputs a result of evaluation of a reliability of the sequence of points. A determination unit determines object information by selecting one of information derived from the sequence of points and information derived from the result of approximation in accordance with the result of evaluation. (end of abstract) Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C. - Alexandria, VA, US Inventors: Hisashi Satonaka, Masato Okuda, Takao Yamaga USPTO Applicaton #: 20060167633 - Class: 701300000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Data Processing: Vehicles, Navigation, And Relative Location, Relative Location The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060167633. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a neighboring object information acquisition device which acquires object information related to a neighboring object of a vehicle, and relates to a parking support device using the neighboring object information acquisition device. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Conventionally, the technique in which a series of distance data (a sequence of points) from the vehicle concerned to a neighboring object detected by a corner sensor (distance measuring unit) is approximated with a straight line, and endpoints of the object are computed based on the approximated straight line is known. For example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-120677. [0005] However, in the case of a distance measuring unit which measures the distance using acoustic waves, such as the corner sensor, if a cause of noise, like the human being, exists in the neighborhood of the object being detected, a noise may be included in the result (the sequence of points) of detection by the distance measuring unit. [0006] Moreover, if the detection range for the object being detected by the distance measuring unit is inadequate, the length of the sequence of points as the result of detection of the distance measuring unit may become inadequate. [0007] In such cases, if the approximation of the sequence of points obtained as the result of detection of the distance measuring unit can be allowed with a curve or a straight line, a reliability of the approximate curve or approximated straight line becomes inadequate. Accordingly, the reliability of the object information (such as the endpoints of the object) derived or acquired based on the approximate curve or the approximate straight line may become inadequate. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an improved parking support device in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated. [0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a neighboring object information acquisition device which is capable of acquiring the object information with adequately high reliability. [0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a parking support device using a neighboring object information acquisition device which is capable of acquiring the object information with adequately high reliability. [0011] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present invention provides a neighboring object information acquisition device provided in an automotive vehicle to acquire object information of a neighboring object of the vehicle, the neighboring object information acquisition device comprising: a distance measuring unit measuring a quantity equivalent to a distance to the object in a predetermined direction; a storage unit storing a sequence of points indicating results of the measurement performed by the distance measuring unit multiple times; an object detection unit detecting existence of the object based on the sequence of points stored in the storage unit; an approximation unit outputting an approximation of the sequence of points stored in the storage unit by applying a curve or a straight line, so that an approximate curve or an approximate straight line is derived from the sequence of points; an evaluation unit outputting a result of evaluation of a reliability of the sequence of points; and a determination unit determining the object information by selecting one of information derived from the sequence of points and information derived from the approximate curve or the approximate straight line in accordance with the result of evaluation from the evaluation unit. [0012] The above-mentioned neighboring object information acquisition device may be configured so that when the result of evaluation from the evaluation unit indicates that a length of the sequence of points is above a reference value, the determination unit determines the information derived from the approximate curve or the approximate straight line as being the object information of the object. [0013] The above-mentioned neighboring object information acquisition device may be configured so that the result of evaluation is a degree of variation of a distance of the approximate curve or the approximate straight line to a predetermined standard curve, and when the degree of variation is above a predetermined reference value, the determination unit determines the information derived from the approximate curve or the approximate straight line as being the object information of the object. [0014] The above-mentioned neighboring object information acquisition device may be configured so that, when both the approximate curve and the approximate straight line are derived by the approximation unit, the result of approximation of the sequence of points with a larger one of a fitness ratio is adopted as the approximation result from which the object information is generated. [0015] The above-mentioned neighboring object information acquisition device may be configured so that the approximation part is configured to determine which of the approximate curve or the approximate straight line is selected to obtain the approximation result, in accordance with a bending angle between two straight lines one of which is formed by connecting one end of the sequence of points and a middle point of the sequence of points while the other of the two straight lines is formed by connecting the other end of the sequence of points and the middle point thereof. [0016] The above-mentioned neighboring object information acquisition device may be configured so that the object information includes information related to endpoints of the object derived from the approximate curve or the approximate straight line. [0017] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present invention provides a parking support device which supports parking of an automotive vehicle in which a neighboring object information acquisition device is provided, the neighboring object information acquisition device comprising: a distance measuring unit measuring a quantity equivalent to a distance to the object in a predetermined direction; a storage unit storing a sequence of points indicating results of the measurement performed by the distance measuring unit multiple times; an object detection unit detecting existence of the object based on the sequence of points stored in the storage unit; an approximation unit outputting an approximation of the sequence of points stored in the storage unit by applying a curve or a straight line, so that an approximate curve or an approximate straight line is derived from the sequence of points; an evaluation unit outputting a result of evaluation of a reliability of the sequence of points; and a determination unit determining object information by selecting one of information derived from the sequence of points and information derived from the approximate curve or the approximate straight line in accordance with the result of evaluation from the evaluation unit, wherein the parking support device determines a target parking position or a target parking direction which is a direction of the vehicle at the target parking position, based on the object information acquired by the neighboring object information acquisition device. [0018] According to the neighboring object information acquisition device and the parking support device of the invention, the neighboring object information acquisition device can acquire the object information with high reliability, and the parking support device using the neighboring object information acquisition device can acquire the object information with high reliability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [0020] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the composition of a parking support device in an embodiment of the invention. [0021] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the detection mode of a neighboring object (e.g., a neighboring vehicle) being detected by a corner sensor. Continue reading... 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